Eating Disorders Canberra

The Capital Psychology Clinic offers therapy for individuals and families to support those experiencing eating disorders and difficulties related to body image. Eating well is a central component of physical and mental health, and body acceptance is an important part of healthy self-esteem. Difficulties in these areas can be distressing and debilitating for individuals and their families, and professional support can be of great benefit.

Dr Megan Carters is trained and experienced in a range of therapeutic approaches to help people experiencing eating and body image difficulties, including individual therapies and Maudsley family-based treatment. Treatment recommendations are made according to the best available research evidence, client preferences, and clinical judgement by the professional. Below is some further information about individual therapies and family-based treatment.

Individual Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a common treatment approach used by psychologists to help individuals with body image difficulties and eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and unspecified eating disorders. Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a type of CBT developed specifically for the treatment of eating disorders and has been shown by research to be one of the most effective psychological treatments for these disorders. Other individual therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, may also help individuals with eating disorders.

Maudsley Family-based Treatment (FBT)

Dr Megan Carters works with families to support young people with eating disorders through FBT. This is an intensive outpatient treatment that views the family as the best resource to help a young person with an eating disorder. Parents are charged with the task of renourishing their child, with support from an FBT clinician, as well as support from a medical practitioner to monitor the young person’s physical health. Research suggests that FBT is the most effective treatment to help adolescents with anorexia nervosa to be renourished and to address the impact of the eating disorder on the family, where onset is recent (less than three years). FBT can also assist young people experiencing other eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa.

There are three phases in FBT: Phase 1 supports parents to renourish the young person, including through regulating eating and restoring weight; Phase 2 helps parents gradually return responsibility for eating and exercise choices to the young person; Phase 3 focuses on the young person’s psychosocial development in other areas disrupted by the eating disorder. At the end of FBT, many young people benefit from participating in individual therapy. Megan can provide individual therapy, such as CBT, for young people who would benefit from participating in further therapy at the end of Family-based Treatment.